Homeopathic medicine, treatment and remedies for Vaginal Yeast Infection

• Kreosotum
  Common Name: Beechword kreosote
  Symptoms: Kreosotum is best suited for women who get offensive, excoriating (abrasive) and burning vaginal discharge. This remedy helps heals the following symptoms:
  • Swollen labia; the patient experiences a burning sensation in their labia
  • Bleeding every time after sex
  • Itching in the vulva and vagina while urinating
  • Intense itching in the area between the labia and the thigh
  • Offensive yellow-coloured discharge from the vagina
  • Pain in the vagina that worsens after menses

Symptoms become worse in cold weather, on lying down or resting and in open air. They become better on moving about, staying in a warm climate and eating warm foods.

• Cantharis Vesicatoria
  Common Name: Spanish fly
  Symptoms: This remedy works well for people who constantly feel like they need to urinate, and experience gastric problems that worsen after drinking coffee. It is especially effective against the itching sensations that occur in vaginal yeast infections. Cantharis Vesicatoria also helps with the following symptoms:
  • Persistent vaginal discharge
  • Painful urination
  • Swelling in the vulva
  • Infection in the uterus
  • A burning sensation in the region of ovaries (lower abdomen below your navel)
  • Profuse and early menstruation
  • Bladder inflammation

Symptoms become worse after urinating, drinking cold beverages, and after touching the affected area.

• Sepia Officinalis
  Common Name: Inky juice of cuttlefish
  Symptoms: Sepia Officinalis works best for people who tend to feel cold even in a sufficiently warm environment. It relaxes the pelvic organs and helps reduce the symptoms of pain, burning sensation and heat associated with vaginal infections. This remedy is also effective against the following symptoms:
  • A sensation of heaviness in the vulva; the patient feels as if everything in her vulva would fall out of it
  • Pain during sex
  • Yellow-green–coloured vaginal discharge along with itching
  • Irregular periods; the woman either has scanty bleeding or a profuse but painful menses
  • Stitching pain shooting upward from the vagina (from the uterus to the umbilicus)
  • Vaginal and uterine prolapse

The woman complains of aggravated symptoms after she washes clothes, on sweating, going out in cold air, and in the evenings and afternoons. Exercising, drawing limbs up, taking a cold bath, lying down on a warm bed and hot applications provide temporary relief.

• Calcarea Carbonica
  Common Name: Carbonate of lime
  Symptoms: Carbonate of lime suits those who are tired, both physically and mentally, due to exertion. It helps reduce inflammation associated with vaginal yeast infections. This remedy also benefits the following symptoms:
  • Leucorrhoea, usually before periods; the patient often feels cold during this time
  • Itching and burning sensation in the vagina after periods
  • Profuse sweating in the vulva
  • Uterine polyps

All the above-mentioned complaints worsen in cold humid weather, while standing, and during the full moon. They become better on lying on the painful side and in dry weather.

• Aconitum Napellus
  Common Name: Monkshood
  Symptoms: Monkshood is best suited for people who are restless and tend to experience tension; numbness, tingling and coldness in their internal body.  This remedy helps treat the following symptoms:
  • Vaginal dryness
  • Shooting pain in the uterus
  • Heavy periods
  • A sensation of heat in the vagina

Complaints aggravate in the evenings, in cold and dry winds, on lying down on the affected side, listening to music and smoking tobacco. They become better in open air.

• Kalium Muriaticum
  Common Name: Chloride of potassium
  Symptoms: Kalium Muriaticum is an efficient remedy for reducing vaginal discharge. Individuals who benefit from this remedy have a grey or white coating at the base of their tongue. Other symptoms that can be relieved with this remedy are:
  • Too early, too late or suppressed menses with clotted, dark-coloured discharge that looks like tar
  • Thick mucus-like vaginal discahrge that is milky white in colour and non-irritating 

Symptoms become worse after eating fatty foods and moving.

• Belladonna
  Common Name: Deadly nightshade
  Symptoms: Belladonna helps to treat a vaginal yeast infection by reducing the symptoms of pain in vagina and burning sensation in the vagina. It also helps reduce the following symptoms:
  • A bearing down sensation in the genitals; the patient feels like her internal organs will fall off through her vulva 
  • Vaginal dryness along with a sensation of heat in the vagina
  • Heavy periods; period blood smells offensive (Read more: Types of vaginal odour)
  • A dragging sensation around thighs

Symptoms become worse on lying down, touching the affected area, and during the afternoon. They become better when the patient sits in a semi-erect position.

• Sulphur
  Common Name: Sublimated sulphur
  Symptoms: Those who benefit from sulphur tend to experience a sinking sensation in their stomach at about 11 a.m. and itching and burning skin. Such individuals are uncomfortable while standing. This remedy helps alleviate the following symptoms associated with vaginal yeast infections:
  • A burning sensation in the vagina
  • Sweating in the genital area with an offensive odour
  • Delayed periods with scanty bleeding that stays only for a short duration; the patient gets a thick black vaginal discharge that leaves her vagina sore (Read more: Light periods causes)
  • Excoriating (corroding the vaginal and vulva skin) leucorrhoea

Symptoms become worse on bathing or washing the affected area, after taking alcoholic beverages and at night-time. They become better after lying down on the right side and in warm and dry weather.

• Berberis Vulgaris
  Common Name: Barberry
  Symptoms: This remedy helps treat a vaginal yeast infection by reducing heat and burning sensation in the vagina. It is also effective against the following symptoms:
  • Pain during sex
  • Tenderness in the vagina along with a pinching and/or contracting sensation
  • Pain and chilly sensation below thighs
  • Leucorrhoea along with painful urination
  • Neuralgia (sharp pain due to a damaged or irritated nerve) in the vagina

Symptoms become worse on standing and moving about.

Homeopathic medicines are made from extremely diluted natural substances. Hence, the therapeutic effects of these remedies can be affected by various dietary and lifestyle factors. To get the maximum benefit from homeopathic remedies, Dr Hahnemann (the founder of homeopathy) has recommended the following guidelines for patients who are undergoing homeopathic treatment for acute conditions like vaginal yeast infections:

Do’s:

• Take a healthy diet. 
• Adjust the temperature of your room as per your comfort.
• Wear comfortable clothing.
• Keep your surroundings clean.

Don’ts:

• Avoid mental exhaustion.
• Avoid marshy and damp places.

A number of studies show the efficiency of homeopathic medicines against fungal infections, especially vaginal yeast infections. However, more studies need to be done to confirm the findings.

An in vitro (lab-study) study published in the International Journal of Health Sciences and Research indicated that remedies like sulphur and phosphorus can inhibit the growth of Candida albicans.  

Both in vitro and in vivo (animal models) studies have found that remedies like sepia and sulphur help control the growth of Candida.

A randomised clinical trial done in Vienna found that monthly cycle dependant itraconazole is more effective than classic homeopathic treatment for recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis. For the study, 144 women were either given itraconazole with or without lactobacilli or classic homeopathic medicines, the former got relieved much earlier and got a recurrence a bit later.

Homoeopathic remedies don't really have any side effects when they are taken under the guidance of a qualified homoeopathic doctor. A homeopathic doctor considers all aspects of an individual's health, including their mental and physical well being and prescribes a unique remedy in highly controlled doses. These remedies are prepared using minute quantities of natural ingredients and it is ensured that the safety and quality of the medications meet the Indian Pharmacopoeia requirement. Therefore, homoeopathic remedies do not hamper body’s normal functioning and are safe and effective in adults as well as infants. Never take any remedy on your own.

Vaginal yeast infections are fairly common in women. They occur due to an overgrowth of the fungus Candida that otherwise makes a normal part of the vaginal microflora. Conventional medicines for candidiasis often have side effects in the long term. Homeoapthic remedies are effective and safe, when taken under the guidance of a doctor. 

Along with inhibiting the growth of the yeast, homoeopathic remedies also improve body’s immune system. So, they keep the infection from recurring.